Bessie Sweet Olford Webb (nee Phillips)

[beaglelady]

Hi just wondered if you could me help yet again.

I'm searching for a death for Bessie S O Webb who was originally born 1889 in Fowey, Cornwall but in 1911 she married John T L Webb (in Preston) and they had a baby in 1914 which died in 1915 just 7 months old - Preston.

By 1917 John T L Webb was with another partner down in Dover (he worked on the ships) and eventually brought her back to live in Preston (but they never married, probably because John was already married).

My question is where did Bessie S O Webb vanish too??  I just can't find a death or anything??

Does anyone have any ideas please cos I've just about given up!!

Thanks once more,
Elaine.

[BridgetM]

Perhaps Bessie remarried?  Or perhaps she took up with another man and changed her name to his?

(One of my grandmothers changed her surname to the surname of the man she was living with after she left my grandfather; she never married the man, but his surname is on her death certificate.)

[beaglelady]

Hi Bridgetm,

Thanks for the quick reply.  Would Bessie have been able to remarry officially? I don't think there were many divorces in those days were there??  Not well up on this kind of thing??

You've got me thinking though

Thanks for your help,
Elaine.

[garstonite]

Hiya Elaine....on www.lancashirebmd.org.uk in 1911 at Preston Emmanuel church  ref  Preston 226/4/343
John Thomas Lawrenson Webb to Bessie Sweet Olford Phillips  ....so have you looked for a burial or another marriage for Bessie Phillips ...just in case they did divorce ?
OK...FOUND HER

when I put in Phillips Bessie Sweet Olford...it came up NO RESULTS...when I put in Phillips Bessie it came up Phillips Bessie S O
so I put in Webb Bessie S O... ALL RESULTS.....bingo

Dec Qtr 1925 Webb Bessie S O to Harry J Legg  Bournemouth  2b 1775 ......so she did remarry
allan

ADDED...one possible birth in 1927 for a Legg -Webb mmn but it`s in Birmingham ?.....put in Legg -Webb 1926  to  leave blank.....you would have to buy that cert to see if mother is Bessie S O

can`t find a death for Legg Bessie S O ...but the last Bessie Legg death is 1937 on freebmd...so...she lived to be at least 48...maybe someone on Ancestry or FindMyPast can help find a death for
LEGG BESSIE S O ................good luck......allan 

[beaglelady]

Hi Allan,

Wow, I can't thank you enough for all the help you've given me

I did do a search on Lancs BMD but I was searching under Bessie S O Webb and I didn't find anything apart from her marriage to John T L Webb.  That is absolutely brilliant.  Thanks again for your help.

I'm guessing it was illegal in those days NOT to divorce and then re-marry so she was a bigamist??  I suppose it was too expensive for divorces in those days??

Anyway, am I bothered about that - NO!!!  Just very pleased my brick wall has been conquered

Thanks again,
Best wishes,
Elaine.

[garstonite]

Elaine....up until the 1970`s you could not even apply for a divorce until you had been married 3 YEARS...then it took a couple of years to go to court...so...1911 marriage ...1914 birth....and by 1917 John was with another woman.....it probably took up to 5/6 years to get a divorce from that 1917 period of separation...hence Bessie marrying in 1925...which leaves me thinking...really we should be looking for LEGG-WEBB Births from 1917 onwards...not 1926 like I stated...they could well have had children prior to marrying.....I`ll have a gander...allan
OH DEAR....sorry but I can`t help having a little laugh
EIGHT births possible.....Legg -Webb from 1917 to 1927....obviously can`t all be Bessie and Haryys ,,,BUT...some might be...
3 in Winchester
2 in Swindon
1 in Dorchester
1 in Plymouth
1 in Birmingham.........do any of these towns coincide with any towns in your research ?......allan

[beaglelady]

Thanks Allan,

I will have a look later for births etc I am a member on Ancestry so I will be updating my tree with this new info - thanks to you

Have to take my dogs a walk now, will find time to do some research later hopefully,

Thanks loads,

Elaine.

[garstonite]

Hi Allan,

Wow, I can't thank you enough for all the help you've given me

I did do a search on Lancs BMD but I was searching under Bessie S O Webb and I didn't find anything apart from her marriage to John T L Webb.  That is absolutely brilliant.  Thanks again for your help.

I'm guessing it was illegal in those days NOT to divorce and then re-marry so she was a bigamist??  I suppose it was too expensive for divorces in those days??

Anyway, am I bothered about that - NO!!!  Just very pleased my brick wall has been conquered

Thanks again,
Best wishes,
Elaine.

Elaine...bigamists marriages were struck off the records , so it is a legitimate marriage....either they got divorced or John died prior to 1925...allan

[beaglelady]

Hi Allan,

Thanks for the info on 'divorces' - I hadn't a clue how things operated in those days. 

John actually died in 1974 in Preston so they must have got divorced.  How would I find that out??  If details are held at Preston Records Office I could go there as I'm in Preston.

Wish you could conquer my OTHER brick wall and that's trying to find John's Grandparents names and residences etc  -  That's another story though and I have posted on here before but didn't get any conclusive evidence.   Don't think I'll ever knock down that wall!!  I even contacted the Army Museum at Wiltshire because John's Grandad was in the 66th Regiment - but they didn't have his records - probably due to him dying in service.  Ohhh well, I'll plod on.

You have been a tremendous help,
Thanks again,
Elaine

P.S.  The Plymouth birth might be relevant if Bessie went back down South.  She was born in Cornwall.